How arts engagement supported social connectedness during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom: findings from the HEartS Survey.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated how adults in the United Kingdom perceived their arts and cultural engagement to facilitate social connectedness over two phases in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: The study used the HEartS Survey, a newly designed online survey tool to capture arts engagement in the United Kingdom and its associations with social and mental well-being, over two phases in 2020: March to May (Phase 1) and October (Phase 2). METHODS: Qualitative data were provided at both phases by 581 respondents, who identified which arts and cultural activity they felt most connected them to others and how during the last month. RESULTS: Thematic analysis revealed that, at both phases, arts and cultural engagement was perceived to facilitate social connectedness through four pathways that were also identified prepandemic: social opportunities, sharing, feelings of commonality and belonging and collective understanding. The subthemes shed light on specific ways that respondents used the arts during the pandemic to connect with others, including using the arts: as a catalyst for conversations, to maintain, reinstate or strengthen relationships during social distancing and to facilitate social interactions (Theme 1); to bring people together through shared experiences and sharing of art (Theme 2); to elicit feelings of direct and indirect proximity to others, to connect people with common interests, to feel a sense of belonging to something and to feel part of a collective 'COVID-19 experience' or to feel collectively distracted from the pandemic (Theme 3); and to learn from and about other people and to relate to others (Theme 4). The activity most frequently cited as connecting was watching a film or drama, followed by listening to recorded music. CONCLUSIONS: Engagement in arts and cultural activities supported feelings of social connection among adults in the United Kingdom over two phases in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of access to the arts and culture to support social connectedness.

Safety and Tolerability of Sars-Cov-2 Vaccination and Natural History of Infection Among Patients with Castleman Disease

Castleman Disease (CD) represents a group of rare and heterogeneous hematologic disorders that have common lymph node histopathology. Patients with CD are often immunosuppressed as a consequence of immunemodulating therapy or possibly due to an underlying immunologic dysfunction attributable to B-cell dysfunction. The most severe CD cases experience a cytokine storm disorder, a life-threatening exacerbation of circulating cytokines and immune-cell hyperactivation. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 progresses to a severe cytokine storm in the most severe cases of COVID-19. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is central to the pathogenesis of CD, and increased IL-6 often accompanies severe COVID-19 cases;inhibition of IL-6 with monoclonal antibodies has been shown to be effective therapy for both CD and severe COVID-19. We therefore sought to understand the impact of COVID-19 infection on the natural history of CD and also examined the safety and tolerability of COVID-19 vaccines in this vulnerable patient population. Patients enrolled in a longitudinal natural history study of CD (N=298) were invited to participate in a survey designed to characterize their experience with COVID-19 disease and vaccination. Surveys were emailed to all eligible patients, and reminders were sent up to 3 times. All data is self-reported;descriptive analyses are reported herein. Of the 298 patients who received a survey, 101 (33.9%) completed it. Sixty-nine (68%) had been tested for SARS-CoV-2 at least once, and 10 (14.5%) reported testing positive - including 6 UCD, 3 iMCD, and 1 HHV8+ MCD patients. The reported prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the US compares at 10.5%. Two of the 10 patients reported asymptomatic disease (both UCD), 7 reported mild disease (4 UCD, 1 iMCD, 1 HHV8+MCD), and 1 reported moderate disease requiring hospitalization but not a ventilator or intensive care (iMCD). This severity distribution suggests that these potentially immunocompromised patients experience a range of disease severity consistent with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the broader US population. The most commonly-reported symptoms included fevers/chills, headaches, and loss of taste or smell (N=7 each), as well as shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, muscle and body aches, and cough (N=5 each). Rarer symptoms were also noted among the iMCD patients, including discoloration of skin, lips, or nailbeds (N=1) and newfound confusion (N=2). Two of the 10 patients reported stopping siltuximab treatment during their COVID-19 diagnosis;both subsequently resumed treatment. No other treatment changes were reported. Of the 101 respondents, 87 (86%) had received at least 1 vaccine dose. Treatments, such as immunosuppressants and immunomodulators, were paused for 7 of these patients including, during the vaccination period;this was presumably done to increase the likelihood of a robust response to the vaccine. Fifty-one patients (59%) reported side effects to either dose 1 or 2. Side effects were generally mild, and none required hospitalization. Side effects were more commonly reported after dose 2, with the most common being arm pain (N=34), fatigue (N=30), and headache (N=26). Of those who reported not receiving the vaccine, 2 intend to receive it in the future, 5 reported being unsure about receiving it, and 7 do not intend to receive the vaccine. Common concerns include potential interaction with CD (N=9) and limited safety data (N=8). This study represents the first investigation into the experience of CD patients with SARS-CoV-2 testing, diagnosis, and vaccination. We did not observe a markedly increased inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and vaccination was well-tolerated. A limitation is self-selection survey bias;it is possible that those who chose to participate represent those who had a milder reaction in general. However, it is noteworthy that there were no reports of severe disease in this sample. The prevalence of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in this cohort (14.5%) is marginally higher than reported in the US population (10.5%) but statistical comp risons were not performed given that this study does not provide a general epidemiological estimate. However, the distribution of symptoms and vaccine adverse effects in this sample were comparable to the general population. Though additional follow-up is planned for the future, these data are an important basis for understanding the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 and CD. Disclosures: Casper: EUSA Pharma: Consultancy. Fajgenbaum: Pfizer: Other: Study drug for clinical trial of sirolimus;N/A: Other: Holds pending provisional patents for ‘Methods of treating idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease with JAK1/2 inhibition’ and ‘Discovery and validation of a novel subgroup and therapeutic target in idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease’;EUSA Pharma: Research Funding. OffLabel Disclosure: Our makes reference to the following: “Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is central to the pathogenesis of CD, and increased IL-6 often accompanies severe COVID-19 cases;inhibition of IL-6 with monoclonal antibodies has been shown to be effective therapy for both CD and severe COVID-19.” Inhibition of IL-6 with monoclonal antibodies for use in COVID-19 is off-label.

Components of a safe cystectomy service during coronavirus disease 2019 in a high-volume centre

Objective: Delivery of a safe cystectomy service is a multidisciplinary exercise. In this article, we detail the measures implemented at our institution to deliver a cystectomy service for bladder cancer patients during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: A ‘one-stop’ enhanced recovery clinic had been established at our hospital, consisting of an anaesthetist, an exercise testing service, urinary diversion nurses, clinical nurse specialists and surgeons. During COVID-19, we modified these processes in order to continue to provide urgent cystectomy safely for bladder cancer. We collected patients’ outcomes prospectively measuring demographic characteristics, oncological and perioperative outcomes, the presence of COVID-19 symptoms and confirmed COVID-19 test results. Results: From March to May 2020, 25 patients underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. Twenty-four procedures were performed with robotic assistance and one open as part of a research trial. We instituted modifications at various multidisciplinary steps, including patient selection, preoperative optimisation, enhanced recovery protocols, patient counselling and perioperative protocols. Thirty-day mortality was 0%. The 30-day rate of Clavien ⩾3 complications was 8%. Postoperatively, none of the patients developed COVID-19 based on World Health Organization criteria and testing. Conclusion: We safely delivered a complex cystectomy service during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic without any COVID-19-related morbidity or mortality. Level of evidence: Level 2b.

On Miracles and Moving on (ADFM)

The article discusses that the coronavirus pandemic storm has shuttered all vestiges of normalcy. It mentions that Medicare and Medicaid have modified reimbursement regulations to allow payment for telemedicine which had heretofore been limited. It also mentions that factories donate masks, military planes fly overhead in formation, police officers and churches hold drive-in appreciation events, and suddenly we feel appreciated.